Love Me Like You Do
by xdatenshibluex
Summary: Smoking buddies turned lovers; what could go wrong? The answer is everything. Crenny.
1. Chapter 1

**Here's to my first South Park story. Cheers~! This is actually a roleplay going on between my girlfriend and I on tumblr so excuse me if it's a little choppy. If you want to check out our blogs mine is youkilledme-youbastards and her Craig blog is onceuponatime-ididntgiveafuck. I hope you all enjoy c: Please review and let me know what you think.**

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It had been a long day…of ditching school. Tucker had pulled him aside before the morning bell rang and waved a brand new pack of cigarettes in front of his face. Kenny couldn't say no.

The two had been smoking buddies for years, but Kenny, who spent his days working at the Tweak coffee shop to help pay bills, never had the money for cigarettes. That's where Craig came in. Sometimes he wondered why Craig had picked him of all people to spend in his company but the blond wasn't about to start complaining now. Why ruin a good thing, right?

So there they were, at the the park on the swings, each with a lit cigarettes in between their cold fingers. The sky was grey and sprinkles of rain kissed their faces. He glanced over to Craig and laughed tiredly.

"My dad was so fucking drunk last night."

He could talk about it. He could talk about it when it was casual, when it was a joke. What he didn't add was _"…And he beat the hell out of me."_ But it was probably slightly too easy to figure him out, judging by the impressive black eye he was sporting. He ashed his cigarette then dropped it to the ground, letting the rain put it out.

"Gimmie another cigarette, dude."

Craig blew out another puff of smoke before looking at Kenny. He took in his appearance frowning.

"Your dad was drunk huh?" He handed him the pack of cigarettes. "Is that how you got that black eye, kid?"

Craig felt a burning hatred build up in his chest. Though he would never show it. He hated that Kenny would show up at school with a new bruise or two. He wasn't stupid, he knew that the kids parents abused him. He didn't want to think want they did to Kenny's younger sister, Karen. It made him sick.

Craig gritted his teeth before lifting the cancer stick to take another drag. He turned to look at the blonde who was enjoying his second cigarette.

"You know… Why don't you do something about it? Fight back or something. Why do you lay there taking it like a little bitch?"

Kenny's carefree expression disappeared and disappeared fast. But even so, he laughed, tapping out another ciagrette and lighting it up. "No man, Cartman got me in the eye with a baseball. Fat bastard."

The blond swung a little higher in his swing, taking a drag from his cigarette. And then Craig said it. He just had to worm his way into his business. But this was going too far.

His swing came to an abrupt halt, his heel digging into the dirt. He glared at Craig dangerously and the words that came out of his mouth tasted like venom.

"You don't know shit, Tucker."

Craig didn't know how his parents got. Craig didn't know how his parents got high every night and made meth in the back yard. Craig didn't know how Kenny would have to jump in front of his little sister to protect her from the swings and kicks. Craig didn't know that Kenny had cried himself to sleep last night. Craig didn't know a god damn thing.

He stood and began walking away.

Craig watched Kenny walk away with narrowed eyes letting out a scoff. He took a long drag of his cigarette before flicking it away.

"I don't know shit, huh" He chuckled bitterly. He stood up spitting on the ground. "Well fuck you too McCormick." He walked slowly in the direction Kenny disappeared. He didn't want to admit it but he was curious.

Grumbling angrily to himself, Kenny power walked his way in the direction of home. He didn't want to admit it, but Craig's words hung heavy in his head and rang loudly, annoyingly. Tucker didn't understand. If Kenny could do something he would. He'd been fighting through this his whole damned life. He didn't need some asshole telling him to man up. He did everything in his power every day to keep the peace at home.

He began to drag his feet and walk slower, frowning. He didn't want to go home. But where else did he have to go? He never went to Stan or Kyle with these problems. They had drifted apart. The two of them had their shit together, unlike himself. He didn't want to bring them down with his petty problems. And he sure as fuck wasn't going to Cartman of all people. So home it was.

Upon arriving at home, he visibly cringed at the noise coming from within his house. He could hear things being thrown and broken and yelling. He sighed heavily, walking up to the front door only to have it rudely opened in his face. He scowled.

"Move it, Kevin." he spat.

His clearly intoxicated older brother scowled right back, shoving the blond. "You wanna fucking go?" the older threatened.

"The only place I want to _go_ is to my room. Move it you stupid drunk."

Another shove. Kenny found himself on the ground with Kevin on top of him, about to throw a punch. Kenny squirmed but he had no hopes of getting the upper hand on his brother. So he turned his face to the side and closed his eyes, bracing himself for the blow.

Craig sighed angrily at himself as he lost sight of McCormick. Where the fuck did he go? Honestly he didn't know why he was following him in the first place. He was fucking tired and hungry so why was he following this guy who basically told him to fuck off?

He shook his head before making up his mind. He's going home, fuck this guy. He turned back before something made him pause. Was that Kenny? He hesitated before muttering 'shit'.

He jogged around the corner slowing as he saw the scene before him. Craig's eyes widened in anger, clenching his fist until his knuckles turned white. There laid McCormick on the ground, face turned away as his older brother, Kevin, was on top of him fist raised.

He didn't realize he was moving towards the two until his foot connected with the older McCormick's face. The brunette fell backwards, blood spurting from his nose.

"What the fuck?!" Kevin spat holding his nose. It was now obvious that he was drunk. Craig sneered stepping in front of Kenny.

"I should be asking you that, you son of a bitch." Craig growled. Kevin got to his feet spitting blood at Craig.

"This has nothing to do with you, asshole."

Craig looked at the blood on his shoes before slowly looking at Kevin.

"I don't give a fuck. I know for a fact that Kenny doesn't deserve this shit. So leave-"

Before he could finish Kevin's fist made contact with his cheek. Craig's eyes widened as he staggered back in shock. He paused before rage filled him completely. How dare this fuck face hit him of all people. Oh fuck no.

Sneering he threw himself at Kevin kneeing him in the stomach before throwing a punch. As the brunette fell to the floor Craig straddled him throwing punch after punch, satisfied as his blood stained his knuckles. Kevin yelled out in pain but his cries was met with another fist to the face.

As the body underneath him went limp Craig stood up panting, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He turned to Kenny glaring.

"Get up."

When his brother's fist never connected with his face, Kenny opened his eyes; eyes that went wide when he saw the scene unfolding before him. At first, he was angry. Craig really had to go out of his way to follow him home? But then, a sick sense of satisfaction filled within him at the sight of his brother getting what he deserved. But then it hit him.

He himself was going to pay for this later when Kevin recovered.

His brother would surely try to beat the shit out of him for his little "friend" jumping in to defend him. He'd get called a weakling and a pussy, and that filled Kenny with rage. He could only fight back so much. Sometimes it was easier to just take the blows and wait for it all to be over.

He was pretty sure his brother wasn't getting up anytime soon, but Kenny was pulling himself together and to his feet, only to grab Craig by the front of his jacket.

"You just had to shove yourself into my business, didn't you?" he sneered. McCormick looked to his unconscious brother then back to Craig, loosening his death grip on the blue fabric. He dropped his hand and sighed heavily,shaking his head.

But the blond didn't have much time to tell Craig to fuck off (again) because next thing he knew his sister Karen was running out the front door and into his arms, crying. Kenny's face was a painting of pain as she held onto him and just bawled.

"Shhh, it's okay, Karen." he smiled sadly, wiping away her tears.

"I don't feel safe here without you." she cried.

Craig hesitated as the siblings hugged. He was pissed at how McCormick reacted. At least he should thank him. Show some kind of gratitude or something. That asshole…Fuck it… that wasn't what was bothering him. He knew that things where bad… but he didn't know that it was THIS bad. He stared at them as Kenny comforted his sister Karen, hearing him whisper soothing things; promising he'll never leave.

Craig scoffed half-heartily, gaining the McCormick siblings attention.

"Whatever… I'm outta of here." He turned his back on them pulling out his pack of cigarettes. He brought it too his mouth lighting it before walking towards home. "You all are making me sick."

As he got to his home he opened the door to find his sister, Ruby, watching some sort of shit on the TV.

"Ugh _you're_ home." Ruby grumbled before turning her attention back to her show.

Craig sighed before flipping her off. He didn't really have the energy to fight with his sister right at the moment. He started to go up the stair planning on packing up his pipe and smoke for a little bit when his mother walked into the room, clearing her throat when she saw the growing bruise on his cheek.

" happened to you cheek?"

Craig sighed having been stopped. He turned to his mother and father, who entered the room when he hear his mother ask the question.

"Nothing."

His father scoffed. "Doesn't look like nothing."

Craig, tired of all the bullshit that he went through tonight, glared. "Oh so now you give a shit."

His father didn't say anything just lifted his middle finger flipping him off.

Craig stared at him before grunting. "Typical." He continued to make his way to his room.

As he got there he shut the door locking it. He got out his box that was filled with different colors and sizes of pipes. He grabbed a random one before pulling out his bag of weed. He started to pack the bowl when he paused. The pipe was a bright orange with brown and tan swirls. It only reminded him of McCormick… Dammit. Why does he keep thinking about that kid?

He threw the pipe down on the floor cursing as the weed spilled out on his floor. He ignored it and laid down on his bed sighing angrily.

Damn him. Damn Kenny McCormick.


	2. Chapter 2

Kenny didn't show up for school the next day. Or the day after that.

He figured he needed to let his new bumps and bruises heal a little before he faced the real world. His black eye was fading and you could no longer see the damage to his once split lip. But even so, underneath his trademark orange parka was an array of bruises that told a story of an exceptionally awful night.

When he did return to school he mostly kept to himself. Kyle and Stan tried to no avail to nudge him into conversation but Kenny wasn't budging. What Craig had seen… No one had ever seen how bad it got at his house. He didn't know what Craig would do with this information but it gave the blond an uneasy feeling.

McCormick eased out of the one-sided conversation Kyle was trying to have with him and excused himself to the bathroom where he ran into the one person he was trying to avoid. There stood Craig, washing his hands.

 _Don't make this any worse than it has to be Kenny. Play it off. Don't let him know._

He laughed outright, earning Tucker's attention. He rubbed the back of his head and said,

"Way to beat the shit out of my brother, dude. That was awesome!"

Honestly, Kenny would have done the deed himself long ago had it not been or Karen. Kenny was the only nonviolent person in the house to look after her. He couldn't let her see him lose control.

What the fuck? Was the only thing that ran through Craig's head. This was a totally different reaction than from what he saw last time. Why is he suddenly playing this off? Pretending that everything was okay when they both knew it wasn't. He hasn't seen Kenny for couple days… he didn't even want to think why he hasn't been in school.

He sighed flicking the water off his hand. Whatever. If he wants to play it off then he'll go along with it… for now.

"Yeah. Sure." He grumbled before grabbing some towels to dry off his hands. "See ya around fucker."

He moved around Kenny heading towards the door, He paused before shaking his head.

'Don't get yourself in too deep Craig' he thought to himself leaving the bathroom.

As he made his way down the hall he stop at the call of his name. He turned to Clyde who was running to catch up with him.

"Hey! Craig I haven't seen you in a while. I mean… I have but we haven't talked! How's everything going!?" Clyde grinned at Craig who sighed shrugging.

"Oh you know… same old boring life…"

Kenny didn't know whether he was relieved or angry at Craig's dismissal of the situation. He never was the type to look for any form of sympathy, but what Craig saw… did he care at all? They had been buddies- well, smoking buddies- for weeks now. Kenny would think Craig at least gave the slightest of damns about him. But then he remembered what Craig had said before he and Kevin got into it. About how he didn't deserve the abuse Kevin dished out. Maybe…

No. Kenny wouldn't let himself be swayed by this. This didn't change anything. He'd continue to smoke with Tucker and have their normal pointless conversations and everything would go back to normal. Or…as normal as things got in this town.

McCormick walked back into the hallway, shoving his hands into his pockets. He dragged himself through the day, mind too occupied to be pulled into class work or conversation. Everything felt so…off.

After school Kenny returned to one of his and Craig's favorite smoking spots. The swings at the park. He sat down in one and began to swing halfheartedly, kicking at the dirt under his feet.

The last thing he expected was for someone to sit next to him and hold a cigarette in front of his face. Surprised and taken aback, Kenny looked to his left.

"Craig?"

"Yeah..who'd yeah expect dumbass" Craig mumbled a cigarette already between his lips. As Kenny took the cigarette Craig brought out his lighter lighting the cigarette, taking a long drag. He blew out the smoke looking at Kenny who reached for the lighter clenched in his hand.

Craig lazily handed it to him.

"So where have you been? You missed school for awhile." Oh he already knew. He just wanted to hear it from the kid himself. He looked at him, waiting.

As Kenny kept silent Craig let out a frustrated breath.

"Gonna give me the silent treatment eh? Goody just my day."

Mouth agape, Kenny just stared at the other male for a few seconds, fumbling with the cigarette. He sighed in contentment when he lit it and he took a long drag, sighing out the smoke. Okay, he felt a little better now. A touch bit more calm.

Though the mood was soon ruined by the last question Kenny wanted to hear. No one else ever asked about Kenny's life at home, or his cuts and bruises. He'd been the poor little abused boy since elementary school. Eventually… people just… stopped asking- stopped caring.

Craig knew too much. There was no bullshitting his way out of this one. Part of him wanted to tell Tucker to fuck off but he knew there was no use in that. Craig was curious now. There was no denying it. And it's not like there was anything the ravenette could do, so why the hell not let him in on the dirty little secret that was his home life?

"You really wanna know why?"

With another sigh, Kenny lifted up his jacket and shirt to show a long purplish bruise all the way up his rib cage. His body was littered with bruises in fact, but now Craig got the idea.

Craig was stunned.

Nothing went through his mind. Absolutely nothing. He was speechless. As he stared at the bruises that littered Kenny's body he felt numb.

"Kenny…" The cigarette that was between his fingers hung limply as he took in the boy in front of him. Then suddenly, as if a bomb went of, he was pissed. He threw the cigarette to the ground, cursing up a storm.

"Who the fuck did that to you McCormick? Your parents? That shitty brother of yours? God fucking damn it!" He growled running a shaky hand over his face trying to calm himself down. He sighed. He fucking knew it… He knew this was happening to him and probably Karen too. He felt his chest tighten. What did they do to them? God knows what.

Craig glanced over at the silent blonde, he had put his shirt and jacket down. He was just staring at the ground letting Craig rage on. Craig swallowed before trying to get a hold of himself. He shouldn't have blown up like that. He wasn't supposed to care about this kid. Let him go on with his shitty life and Craig would do the same. But dammit… He was in to deep…

The one thing he promised not to do… he did it anyway.

He cares for Kenny McCormick.

Well, fuck.

Gripping hard onto the chains of the swing until his knuckles turned white, Kenny kept silent, anger bubbling in the pit of his stomach as Craig ranted on. Sure, he appreciated Craig giving Kevin a dose of his own medicine and all, but why the fuck did he care now. It was common knowledge that Kenny's home life was shit. No one ever brought it up. No one ever gave a damn. Part of him had always found comfort in that fact. He told himself that he didn't want sympathy but damn, someone giving a flying fuck would be nice for once, he had to admit.

What made him angry was that Craig decided he cared _now_.

"You've known since elementary school." he muttered, nearly crushing the cigarette in between his fingers. "You all knew. And no one ever gave a rats ass!" Suddenly he was standing, glaring daggers at Tucker.

"Why now? Why do you suddenly care now?!"

Craig gritted his teeth glaring at the fuming blonde.

He couldn't tell him why he cared now. McCormick would surely laugh in his face. Craig sighed taking another drag. He felt guilty… Kenny was probably embarrassed… He was just making things more difficult for the kid…

'What should I tell him?' He thought to himself. He was lost… but that was nothing new.

He threw the cigarette down before turning to Kenny, chest tightening for what he was about to say made him almost physically sick.

"I don't care. Actually I don't give two shits. I don't know what I was thinking hanging out with you." Craig gave Kenny a lazy smirk, but inside he was breaking. "You're just fucking kid… not worth my time.."

Stunned, Kenny just stared at the other boy for a few long moments, eyes wide as the words sunk in, He didn't fully believe them. Not after all Craig had said and done in the past two days he had associated with him. But still, the words cut like a hot knife.

He sat back on the swing, sighing heavily. "If I'm not worth your time get the fuck out of here and leave me alone."

McCormick lowered his head, tears stinging in the corners of his eyes. Why did he have to go and fuck this up? Someone finally gave a damn and the blond drove them away. Just his god damn luck.

"Fuck."


	3. Chapter 3

**Sooo... This is still in roleplay format and I really don't have the energy to change it. I know it's choppy and some things are out of place but... Enjoy anyway maybe?**

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Craig stood there feeling like he was about to be sick. Why the fuck did he say that? Jesus Christ he was fucked up. He stared at Kenny before nodding, trying to be uncaring.

"Fine. Whatever I don't need this shit in my life anyway." Craig took out another cigarette lighting it quickly. He took a long drag blowing it towards Kenny. He hesitated before throwing the pack on the ground in front of the boy. "Keep em', don't keep em' I don't care, McCormick. All I know is that I'm done with your bullshit. Later, fuck face." But as he turned around Craig's nonchalant expression crumbled; he shakily brought his cigarette to his lips breathing in the toxic fumes.

So… that was it huh? ….. It shouldn't have hurt this badly.

As Kenny watched Craig's retreating back he felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. His body felt like his body was weighed down with cement blocks and he didn't know if he could move if he tried.

He wiped away the tears. No use in crying over it. It's not like he hadn't been through worse. Besides, he and Craig had never been particularly close to begin with. They just smoked and bullshitted together after school. Kenny could live without him. But god why did this hurt so much?

The blond sat on that swing for a long while. Even as rain began to pour down from the sky Kenny sat with the pack of cigarettes Craig had thrown at him tucked securely in his tattered jacket.

Eventually Kenny did decide to go home. But when he got to the front door he heard chaos inside. He heard his drunk father and brother fighting. He heard his mother yelling at them. Worst of all, he heard Karen crying. He groaned lowly before entering his house.

"Where the fuck have you been?!" his mother demanded and Kenny looked away, mumbling that he had just been taking a walk. Then his father turned on him too and things only escalated from there. A slap from his mother, a few punches and kicks from his brother and father (it seemed like the only time they got along was when they were ganging up on him.) But then they went to far.

They turned on Karen.

"Stay away from her." he growled viciously, jumping in front of his sister. He left the house with two black eyes, a knot on his head, blood running from his nose and lip and a few brand new bruises with Karen in tow.

He couldn't believe he was doing this. This was a terrible idea. But he knew deep down that Craig had more to say to him, and he needed somewhere to go. He found himself knocking on the Tucker families door.

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When Craig got home the house was quite and empty. Ruby must be at some friends house and who gives a shit about his parents. Typical day. Him home alone, nothing to do but sit in his own misery. Goody.

Craig shrugged going to the kitchen grabbing a bag of chips and a can of coke. He made his way to the living room plopping onto the couch opening the bag of chips. He popped a few in his mouth as he switched the channel to Red Racer. Yes… he still watched it. Fuck all of you.

He watch Red Racer but his mind wandered to a boy in orange. Is he okay? What was he doing? Did his words affect him at all? Craig shook his head banishing those thoughts before getting up to get his pipe.

Time to get fucked up.

He sat there smoking, hoping that it would make him forget about McCormick… If anything it made things worse. Craig sighed before laying down on the couch slowly drifting into a deep sleep, chips scattered everywhere and Red Racer fading into the background.

Craig jerked up, mind still fuzzy. Something woke him up… but what? He grumbled switching the TV off giving him and turning over, planning on falling back to sleep before knocking on the door made him sigh. He waited hoping that whoever was at the door would leave thinking that nobody was home… but sadly the knocking on the door got louder.

"Yeah yeah I'm fucking coming." He mumbled before fall off the couch. "Fuck."He stumbled towards the door stepping on chips and used weed as he did so. Man… what a fucking mess. Whatever.

He yawned as he opened the door, rubbing his eyes, trying to wake himself up. When he finally came to he froze. There stood Kenny, bruised and battered, with Karen whimpering beside him.

"Holy shit."

Kenny put on a nice, big fake smile when Craig opened up the door. This is how it was. A smile could hide anything but the blood spilling from his nose. "Missed me?" he asked, smirking at Craig."'Course ya did." Craig looked shocked and Kenny smiled sheepishly, running a bruised hand through his messy blond hair.

"Look, I know you said you were done with my bullshit and all that but…" He looked next to him to Karen, who was gripping onto him and looking nervously at Craig like she was afraid of him.

"You don't have to let me stay, but can Karen? I need her to be safe."

His eyes were desperate, silently pleading with Craig to have a heart and at least let Karen in. If he went to anyone else their parents would just call the police. Again. And they'd be shipped off to a foster home. Again. And then they'd be wrongfully returned to South Park. Again.

"I don't have anywhere else to go."

Craig stared at them in shock before clearing his throat, opening the door wider.

"Get your asses in here, McCormick. Its fucking freezing." As they entered Craig's house a million thoughts went through his mind. What the fuck happened? And why did they come to his house of all people?

The McCormick's walked into the living room pausing as they say the mess it had become. Chips, weed and soda can littered the floor, some smashed into the carpet when Craig got up to open the door. As Karen spotted the weed she gave Craig a nervous look. Craig rubbed the back of his head sheepishly at the girl.

"Um… Ignore the mess." He quickly brushed the mess underneath the couch. "I'll clean that up later." He mumbled to himself. He glanced at the two who were standing there awkwardly, Kenny himself looking like he was going to pass out any minute. "Well? What are you waiting for? Sit down." As they did Craig hesitated before walking to the hall closet grabbing two thick blankets.

He walked back throwing them each a blanket. "Here." He stood there awkwardly as they both warmed up. "So mind telling me what happened?"

Karen whimpered clinging onto her brother. "Kenny… He got hurt protecting me."

Craig hid his concern expression before motioning to the blonde. "Let me see what they did to you." Kenny shook his head, looking towards Karen. Craig sighed.

"Hey kid. Mind getting me a bowl of water and a wash cloth so I can clean up you dumbass of a brother?" Karen slowly nodded before leaving the room. "There. Now show me McCormick."

Kenny was ashamed. So very ashamed. Maybe coming to Craig wasn't the greatest idea he'd ever had but he was desperate. He couldn't let anyone too close to him know what really went on behind closed doors in the McCormick household. That would just make it all worse… Sympathetic glances from people who wouldn't (and couldn't) do a damn thing to help. It was better to go to Craig, Kenny decided. He didn't really give two shits so maybe he wouldn't pry and Kenny and Karen could just spend a normal day in a normal home environment.

The mess on the floor caught his attention but he shrugged it off. His place was never neat either so who was he to judge? Karen seemed more on edge though so he pulled her closer to his side, murmuring that it was going to be okay.

The blond was taken aback when seconds after he sat a blanket was being thrown his way. He didn't complain. He wrapped himself up in that bitch in a heartbeat. He was fucking freezing. Karen was started to calm down a little, too. She had stopped shaking at least

But then he asked the question.

He smiled sympathetically down at his little sister.

"You know I would protect you with all I am. I'm your big brother after all." he said gently, kissing the top of Karen's forehead to calm her. But then she got up, following Craig's order, and he felt sick to his stomach.

"You don't want to see…"

But Craig's eyes never left him. Searching, looking for answers. Kenny sighed, fidgeting where he sat. He met Craig's eyes with a stern look.

"What you see never leaves this house, got it?"

Reluctantly he slipped off his orange jacket and stripped himself of his shirt. His knuckles were bruised, and more bruises could be found all over his body, painting a picture of purple and black. He had a particularly nasty bruise on his rib cage from a well timed kick from his father. There was also a stab wound (not deep enough to require medical attention) that had been applied to him via a screwdriver. His brother was a fucking prick. His arms were littered with cigarette burns and his eyes were dead tired.

"Now you know…"

'I'm going to kill them.' Craig thought fuming as he took in the bruises and scars that littered Kenny's arms and torso. He took a closer look at the stab wound, noticing that it wasn't too deep. I hesitated before poking it, pulling away quickly when the blonde flinched. **  
**

"Damn, they did a number on you." He muttered before getting up, heading towards the downstairs bathroom. He opened the cabinet eyes scanning through the contents, before grabbing what he was looking for. He went back to the living room, first aid kit in his hands. he sat down next to Kenny, opening the kit taking out the gauze. He teared open the package, looking Kenny straight in the eye. "Nobody is going to know about this. It's not any of their fucking business. It's just between us."

Just then Karen came back into the room balancing a hot bowl of water in her hands, towels clenched between her armpits. Craig got up taking the bowl from her setting it on the table, Karen went back to sit next to Kenny, who wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder. Craig dugthrough the kit, getting out a small bottle of peroxide, pouring half of it into the bowl of water. He looked at Karen, smirking. "We're going to fix up your stupid brother, alright kid? He'll be fine."

He dipped one of the towels in the water, wringing it out before cleaning up the dried blood and dirt causing Kenny to cringe. After he was done cleaning, he grabbed the antibiotic cream putting some on the wound before placing the gauze on it. Craig nodded happy at his work. He looked at the siblings noticing that Karen was shaking again, probably freezing her ass of. Craig sighed motioning for her to get up.

"Come on kid, let's get you cleaned up. You can go take a shower." Karen hesitated, looking at Kenny. Craig rolled his eyes. "He'll be fine. I need to talk to him anyway. Go get cleaned up. You can borrow some of Ruby's clothes. I'm sure the brat won't mind." He got up, gently grabbing her arm leading her upstairs.

He grabbed a fluffy towel handing it to Karen who wouldn't look him in the eye, she was still afraid. Craig also handed her a pair of pajamas he took from Ruby's room. He messed her hair smirking kindly. "Everything will be fine okay? We'll figure everything out." The girl nodded, smiling shyly. "And how about when when you get out, I'll order some pizza. How does that sound?"

Karen perked up. "Thank you… so much." she told him before closing the door.

Craig smirked gently. "You're welcome, kid." he whispered. He turned around, planning on going downstairs to talk to Kenny. But he froze, smirk dropping from his face. There stood Kenny staring at him in complete shock. Craig glared crossing his arms.

"What the fuck are you looking at, McCormick?"

"Ow!" Kenny hissed slapping Craig's hand away. "Don't fucking touch it." It hurts… he didn't say. Because Kenny had been through worse. He was tough enough to deal with a sissy little stab wound from his drunk brother. But fuck did it hurt.

"Hah." Kenny scoffed. "Nothing new." He fake laughed, surprisingly making it sound genuinely real. "You should have seen me a few weeks ago. Man they really fucked me up." Humor was his natural mechanism against pain. He frowned when Craig got up and walked out of the room, fidgeting where he sat again. When Craig returned with a first aid kit his initial reaction was to roll his eyes. Craig was pretending like he cared again. But he let Craig start patching him up and when Craig said it was just between them he let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding in. He nodded, eyes wide.

"Just between us."

Kenny's whole demeanor changed when Karen reentered the room. He smiled gently and patted the spot next to him on the couch. "You're really beaten up." she sniffed sadly, eyes downcast. The blond put his arm around his baby sister, squeezing her in a hopefully reassuring manner.

"I'll be okay. I promise."

And then Craig poured the peroxide into the bowl and Kenny cringed, opening one eye to watch as Craig prepared a wet wash cloth.  
"Well this is gonna hurt like a bitch."

Doing his best to sit still, Kenny took the pain like a champ, clenching his teeth and keeping his eyes shut, not making a sound. He did hold on to Karen a little tighter though, trying to assure her that despite his face painting with pain, he was just fine. He sighed, relieved, when Craig put the finishing touches on his newly clean and bandaged wound. He felt Karen shaking beside him and opened his eyes, frowning. Before he could say anything Craig proposed an offer.

He smiled at Karen, nodding that he would be alright. He watched Craig lead her upstairs and smiled softly. He was thankful that he was being so kind towards Karen. She needed more of that in her life; more positivity. Kenny almost laughed outright. Craig and positivitity. What an unlikely turn of events. He did wonder, though, what it was Craig wanted to talk to him about.

Upstairs, Karen was still shaking, afraid to be alone the in the presence of Craig. But when he offered her a fluffy blanket and clean clothes, she was immensely happy. She and Kenny didn't even have water back home. She hadn't showered in 3 days. And the offer of pizza (food. any kind of food.) made her grin.

"Thank you… so much."

The blond had gotten impatient and had headed upstairs, just catching the last of the two's short conversation. Could it be? Could it be that some one in this god forsaken town actually gave a damn? Maybe.

Kenny smirked tiredly.

"Nothing, Tucker. Nothing at all. So how about that pizza?"


End file.
